One with the Power

By Jenna Webster

Four years before a single blood test and piece of paper emancipated Rebecca from the horror her life had become. This blood test does not promise a beginning of a new life or escape. That morning she had been told the blood test meant a complete end to the life she had built for herself and her son. She knows regardless of the beliefs of others her baby's beginnings not make him a monster.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jenna Webster
• Release date: Feb 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310141157

Jenna Webster

I live near Austin, TX with my husband and our little fluffy yippy dog, Sasha. I love to laugh and enjoy a good joke and I even enjoy bad jokes. I have been a long time fan of 9GAG and it is one of my favorite time wasters. I also enjoy watching documentaries, reality TV is something I can and at times do enjoy if there is more substance than drama.I have recently opened new Twitter and Facebook accounts. You are welcome to come say hi to me on Twitter or Facebook or e-mail me at [e-mail], please make my day by sharing me a funny joke with me.

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One with the Power

By Jenna B. Webster

Book 01: Found

Copyright 2014 Jenna B. Webster

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 01

The doctor had told me about him and given me the name and address of the restaurant. The doctor had said he could help Ethan. I had waited three days but I finally admitted to myself I was completely out of my depth. I had been told that morning Ethan couldn’t be in his daycare anymore. I hitched up my son on my hip looked at the doors trying to gather the courage.

Ethan’s tests had come back positive for anthro-wolf and I didn’t know what to do. I had been trying to get him signed up for preschool and the blood test had been part of the physical. The doctor had also told me about the state homes I could surrender him to. He explained he was legally required to tell me about the homes but he strongly recommended against it if I had any love for my son I would disregard it as soon as he finished talking, which I had.

I knew enough about those homes to be certain Ethan would not ever be going. I also knew taking Ethan to work with me like I had done that day was not a long term solution and I needed help. I was overwhelmed and lost as to what I could possibly do.

Mama, Mama, flies, flies. Ethan called out excitedly bouncing in my arms interrupting my internal pep talk. He hadn’t quite mastered the r sounds but I knew what he saying.

Ethan, Ethan, yes, yes, fries, fries. I answered forcing my voice to be just as excited and happy. I took a deep breath and opened the door to the restaurant and reminded myself I did not have to talk to anyone and I could just enjoy our night out.

We were greeted by a tall blonde girl maybe a few years older than me, she introduced herself as Meg and asked how many. I prompted Ethan to count and let him answer two, giving him a loud kiss on the cheek telling him he was brilliant and I was proud of him. Meg asked if we would mind sitting in the bar area. I admitted I was unsure and not completely a fan of the idea.

Meg promised on Tuesday nights it was not anywhere close to rough and tumble and very G rated and she could get us seated right away. It was Ethan’s excited battle cry of fries that had me relenting and allowing we could sit in the bar area. Meg asked me if he was alright for crayons giving me the kindness of spelling the word crayon for me.

I shook my head and thanked her saying honestly her tables would not be alright with Ethan with crayons. He got enthusiastic and excited about coloring and often missed the page which was fine for our kitchen table but I had waited tables before and knew despite any polite protestations she made it wasn’t right to ask a waitress to clean up after one of Ethan’s coloring adventures.

We had brought some of his little cars and trucks for entertainment. I did accept the highchair for Ethan and buckled him securely into it before letting him dig into his backpack for his trucks and cars. After I looked at the kid’s menu I gave him the choice of a hamburger or chicken fingers. He wanted fries, it had to rephrase to include the fries in both choices before he make his choice of a hamburger.

As promised a waitress by the name of Faith, came over and asked if we knew what we wanted for drinks. Ethan chirped up with his request for Coke, Hillary my boss at the salon had given Ethan and her daughter Sarah a Coke a week ago and he was still trying to get more at any opportunity he saw. I shook my head said he would have apple juice which was as close to coke as he was getting. I asked for un-sweet tea.

I distracted Ethan with his cars from his pout about not getting a Coke by using a truck to crash into the car in his hand. Thankfully he was willing to be distracted by the game and I thanked Faith. I looked around at the crowded restaurant and told her we weren’t in a hurry and weren’t going to get grouchy about it waiting for her to help other people in more of a hurry than we were.

Faith smiled and said thank you before she went away from the table. She did return relatively quickly given the amount of people inside the restaurant. I ordered the burger for Ethan and the chicken fingers for myself just in case he did not like the burger. Either way I knew he would appreciate the extra fries that came with my meal.

After about ten minutes I come to the conclusion it was a nice family restaurant even inside the bar area. It was a little far from our apartment to make it part of our weekly dinner out but it was relaxed and friendly which was nice. I figured we’d stick to IHOP as it was much closer and less crowded than the restaurant was and more importantly just a little less expensive.

I had talked myself out of speaking to anyone inside the restaurant and not asking for the Dave person the doctor had suggested but then Ethan asked me about his daycare. He wanted to know if he was going back to play with his friends the next day. I sighed and didn’t know what to tell him. He was three, I could not think of any way to tell him the reason he couldn’t go back to his daycare and friends.

Instead I asked if he wanted to go to the library with me in the morning to play with the puppets and pick out new books for us to read there and at home. He did and he was distracted enough by his thoughts of the fun that the library held. However, I was not distracted and knew I did need help and as unlikely as it seemed I would get it from a man that ran a restaurant for Ethan I had to swallow my pride and try.

When Faith came back I asked her if a Dave worked there, she nodded and asked if I had a problem with the food. I shook my head, took a breath and a little embarrassed said I had been told I should talk to Dave by a doctor. She nodded, and said she’d see about getting Dave out for me. Faith came back quickly with a very large man stalking behind her. She introduced him as Bret, Dave’s son and said Dave was really busy at the grill but I could talk with Bret right then, further explaining Bret helped his father a lot.

Bret asked if he could sit, when I nodded he set a bottle of beer onto the table and slid into the empty chair nearest me at the table. I bit my lip not sure how to begin and was debating the wisdom of even talking to him or anyone inside that restaurant about Ethan.

What do you want? Bret asked quietly but with obvious hostility.

I looked at Ethan, reminding myself why I had come at all, then at Bret, I was getting Ethan a physical for pre-school. The doctor he said I should come here. I felt the pressure at the back of my throat and swallowed hard as I admitted to a complete stranger, They told me at daycare this morning they don’t allow wolves, or at preschool or even at elementary school. I don’t know what to do.

Bret lifted his brows as he asked, Are you looking to rid yourself of the boy?

No, God no, I gasped in outrage. I took a calming breath before I continued, I think I just need information, I don’t know anything about how to help him. I.

Ethan interrupted me, Flies, Coke, man, shaw, nice, peas. He said holding a fist full of his fries in his right hand reaching toward Bret’s bottle offering a trade of sharing.

I shook my head, No, Ethan, that is not Coke and it is not for sharing.

Nice mama, shaw, nice, shaw. Ethan said pleadingly.

Yes, it is nice to share, but we don’t share bottles it is gross like eating sand, blah. I said as I made a gross face at him.

Blah, He echoed and made his own version of his gross face.

I wiggled my brows made the face again, Blah, indeed, I bopped his nose lightly as I said, Remember only your Aunty Hilary can give you Coke because she’s sneaky and does not respect my boundaries. Now ice cream that is something I can get behind.

Ice ceem, shaw? Ethan asked hopefully.

That is a wonderful idea I would love to share ice cream with you. I picked up one the fries off my plate dipped it into his ketchup, Could you help me finish my fries so we can have ice cream?

Ethan leaned his head forward and chomped off the end of the fry nodding enthusiastically, he held up his fist full of fries in offering to me. I thanked him for sharing and bent my head and dramatically chomped off the ends of two. I got giggles for my efforts, as he was giggling I subtly moved the napkin holder to block his view of Bret’s beer.

I got Ethan engaged again playing with his fries and burger suggesting his half of a hamburger might be hungry too and probably would like to have a few fries. I thanked Bret for tolerating the interruption and explained I was looking for informational help not a way to get rid of my son or financial help. Also explaining again the doctor at the clinic said he thought my best place to get information was from this Dave person at the restaurant.

I admitted I had not even remembered Dave’s name or the restaurant until after being met by the director of Ethan's day care that morning. I had been sure I could handle it. I had not realized all the things that Ethan’s positive blood test result would mean.

Janet the director of the day care had been the one to tell me all the things that Ethan was barred from to include public and most private education outside of a state run home for anthro-children. She had suggested I take Ethan to social services and surrender him to them for both his well being and the safety of everyone. She was of the opinion he was too dangerous to be left out of the security of what amounted to a kiddy prison.

I understood the state run homes were a prison for children whose only crime was being born differently than the majority of their peers. I was embarrassingly ignorant about a good many things about anthro-people but I did know enough about those so called homes to know they were not a place my son or any child should be.

Janet had gone onto explain that she would have to send a letter home with all the children explaining why Ethan had been ejected from the school. Also suggest that his classmates get tested for what she had termed contamination. It had taken all my self-control to leave her office without doing bodily damage to her.

As I finished sharing my experience with Janet I unclenched my hands. With my actions came a realization I had just shared all of that with a stranger. He looked angry and I was afraid he was going to tell me I was being stupid and selfish and Janet had been right. Before he could I gave him a hard look and told him if that was going to be his idea as well I didn’t need to hear it and it was not happening.

Instead of making the same statements Janet had, Bret said something just as unpleasant for me asking where Ethan’s father was. I shook my head and said it didn’t matter. He asked again insisting it did matter and was important. I shook my head and said it didn’t matter. Then he started talking about paternal rights, duties and responsibilities all nice things I used to believe in once upon a time.

I got angry at his assumptions about my moral fiber, I hissed out angrily, I strongly objected to the manner of conception and I shot him, twice in the face. Do not presume to lecture me on rights, duties and responsibilities.

I had more to say, but I swallowed the rest of my anger at Ethan’s small whimper as he reached and called for me. I took a breath, smiled and turned my attention to Ethan, I unbuckled him from the high chair gave him raspberry kisses on the cheek until he was giggling. I sat him on my lap and asked him to help me with my mean fries as I was sure they were making fun of me for not being able to eat them all.

Ethan asked if I was mad at the mean fries and if it was pretend mad. Instead of lying to him I picked up a fry and made taunting noises at him until he gobbled it down. I declared him my hero for eating the mean fry for me. I did twice more until he was completely calm and having fun with the mean fry game convinced I had been merely playing at being angry.

After I was sure Ethan was happy and distracted I turned my attention back to Bret. Amazingly Bret did not do what most people did and gush out useless apologies. Instead he said in a soft serious tone, he was glad I had killed the mongrel who had hurt me. I blinked at him for a moment before I inclined my head as I answered just as seriously I was too.

Bret asked if I would be willing to go into the kitchen and speak with Dave, his father. He explained his father was a born wolf as were he and his brother and they could give me some information that night. I said yes and thanked him when he offered to see about ice cream for Ethan. Ethan not being the shy sort and hearing the word ice cream asked excitedly if there were sprinkles. Bret said there were and he could have an entire bowl of them to put onto his own ice cream. As I stood I dug into my purse and having already done the math for the meals, ice cream and tip.

I left twenty two dollars on the table under the salt shaker as I scanned to be sure we weren’t leaving any trucks or cars behind. I was glad I had as we would have left the much loved fire engine behind the napkin holder I had moved. I handed the fire engine to Ethan he made the appropriate noises for it as he gleefully drove it up my arm as I followed behind Bret unsure if I was truly doing the right and best thing for Ethan.

When Bret held the door open for us I could see it looked to be the madhouse of barely organized chaos that every other commercial kitchen I had ever been into. There was shouting of orders and insults that seemed standard for such kitchens. Ethan was entranced pointing at the different things asking me to look and to tell him what they were.

Ethan was most fascinated by the dishwasher that dramatically poured out steam when it was opened. I explained it was just like some of the things at the museum it was a looking not touching thing. I agreed it was very neat and he could watch again. Bret pointed toward a stool at an island counter and said we could sit there for a good view and he would get his father pointing toward the big man in front of the stove doing most of the yelling.

Dave came over introduced himself and offered Ethan a bowl of ice cream in his hand. Ethan looked to me knowing about not taking things from grown people unless I said it was alright. I smiled nodded and reminded him of his manners. He took the bowl and did say thank you. He squealed happily and sang out a gleeful unprompted thank you when Bret slid a small bowl filled with rainbow sprinkles from the other side of the island.

The first question Dave asked me threw me a little he asked me if I fished. I did not and no to the second question as well I nor had anyone ever taken Ethan. He told me I had already met one of his daughters Faith and he had another Kayla both of them and his sons and son in law were going to the lake the next morning and he thought I should come and bring Ethan.

I grimaced, Aren’t there worms with fishing?

Mama, gil woms icky, Blah? Ethan asked happily as he played with his sprinkles.

I shuttered a little, Blah, indeed for worms.

I gived Mama wom, She sceemed louded, ahhh. Ethan reported to Dave finished with a good imitation of my high pitched screech.

I poked him in the belly, Yes I did, flowers are for girls not worms.

Woms fo boys, I boys like woms. Ethan said proudly.

Yes, you are a boy and you like icky, gross worms, blah. I agreed making a face at him.

Mama you silly, Ethan giggled.

I made another face at him to prove him right and then showed him how the sprinkles could be stuck to the back of his spoon if he dipped it into the ice cream first. He was fascinated and quickly engaged. I thanked Dave for the invitation and the thought. I explained not only did we not have the right equipment but worms only slithered very closely behind snakes on my icky list. I didn’t think I could handle fishing with any sort of dignity or pride left.

Somehow and I was not truly sure how but after a while I agreed to join Dave and his children and son in law at the lake the next morning to let Ethan have the chance to experience fishing. I was promised I would not have to touch any worms for any reason if I truly objected to them.

Dave did give me a little bit of information about anthro-wolves. He explained he would be able to talk more in the morning when he wasn’t trying to run a kitchen. I understood his point, it was crowded and busy on both sides of the kitchen door. I sincerely thanked he and Bret for their time and help as I stood. Saying I needed to get Ethan home and into bed before he went from giddy tired to cranky tired.

I tried to wave off Dave’s insistence Bret walk me out but that went as well as my declining going fishing. After we got to the front side of the restaurant I thanked Bret for walking me out and said again he could go back inside. He shook his head and said he would see me to my car. I finally admitted I did not have a car and was going to the bus stop a block up he really did not need to walk me all the way there.

Bret sighed once and said I should have said as much inside. If I had he wouldn’t need to go back in and get his keys to drive me home. I told him no, I was sure he didn’t have a car seat for Ethan and even if he did I was not comfortable being alone inside a vehicle with him. I thanked him for the thought and his help earlier and the courtesy of walking me out and bid him a goodnight in a clear dismissal before I began walking away.

He did not take the hint and stayed to my right as I walked, he said I was right about the car seat and he would wait with Ethan and I at the bus stop and saw we got home safely. He offered to call his sister, Kayla, to join us if it would help me feel more comfortable. He speculated she would probably thank us both for the break since she had been there since ten that morning.

I sighed heavily, told him I would rather him not come at all but if he was going to insist upon it then I would appreciate his sister joining us. He pulled out his cell phone asked for Kayla and asked her if she wanted to come out and chaperone a bus ride. She obviously agreed and he told her she needed to tell their father she and he were joining Ethan and I on the bus and we’d be waiting out front for her.

Chapter 02

We didn’t need to wait long before an Asian looking girl came rushing out the door and grabbed Bret’s hand and began tugging, Quick, quick before he changes his mind, he claims we’re both free for the rest of the night. She